Clubs have voted to expand the Championship play-offs from four to six teams from next season, the English Football League has confirmed.
Starting from the 2026-27 season, the Championship clubs who finish seventh and eighth in the table will be included, and will face the teams who finish fifth and sixth in a new one-off “eliminator” tie.
Then, the winners will progress to the two-legged semi-finals, against the teams who finish third and fourth, for the chance to advance to Wembley and compete for a place in the Premier League.
“Following several months of discussion with clubs and other stakeholders, we are confident this change will further strengthen the Championship as a competition and give more clubs and their supporters a genuine opportunity of achieving promotion,” EFL chief executive Trevor Birch said.
The change was announced following the EFL’s general meeting, with the decision to expand the play-offs requiring a majority vote among all clubs, as well as a majority from the 24 Championship clubs.
The new play-off format, involving a single-leg eliminator round, will replicate the system currently used in the National League, where the teams who finish between fourth and seventh first facing off for the right to play the sides who finish second and third.
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